Brake beam



T. H. PARKE May 2, 1944.

BRAKE BEAM Filed Feb. 7, 1942 INVENT OR. TorszenffPqr/ze,

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Patented May 2, 1944 BRiAKE BEAM Torsten H. Parke, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Ainerican Steel Foundries, Chicago, 111., a. corporation of New Jersey Application February 7, 1942, Serial No. 429,875

14 Claims. (Cl. 188-222) My invention relates to brake beams and more particularly to a truss type brake beam comprising tension and compression members secured to each other at the ends thereof and connected intermediate said ends by a strut affording a fulcrum for an associated brake lever.

An object of my invention is to design a truss type brake beam comprising flattened ends adapted for reception within guide brackets on an associated vehicle frame.

A more specific object of my invention is to provide a brake beam such as above described in which the ends of the tension member may prolect outwardly of the ends of the compression member to aiford seats for associated wear pads, said pads being adapted for reception within guide brackets on an associated vehicle frame as above indicated.

.A further object of my invention is to design an arrangement wherein a U-shaped wear pad L may be fitted overEe'ach end of the tension member of a truss type" brake beam, said pad and said end being received between the top and bottom webs of the compression member of said beam and extending outwardly therefrom to afford guide means for said beainfas-above indicated.

Still another object;;of my invention is to design brake heads adapted for securement to opposite ends of a truss type brake beam such as above described, each of said heads comprising a slot adapted for reception of the associated end of a channel section compression member, the associated end of a tension member received between top and bottom webs of the end of the compression member, and a U-shaped wear pad fitted over the end of the tension member.

In the drawing,

Figure 1 is a plan view of a trusstype brake beam embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the structure shown in Figure 1, the strut of the brake beam being removed in order to clarify the arrangement, and Figure 3 is a side elevation of the structure shown in Figures 1 and 2, the strut being broken off in order to clarify the view.

Describing my invention in detail, th brake beam generally designated 2 is of truss type and comprises a compression member 4 of channel section, said member comprising spaced top and bottom webs 6 and 8 joined by the web ID. The tension member I 2 comprises a round bar flattened at each end thereof as at M for reception within the top and bottom webs 6 and 8 of the associated end of the compression member and abutting the Web I!) thereof as may best be seen in Figure 1, each of said flattened end portions I4 extending outwardly of the associated end of the compression member as at l5 to afiord a seat as at I6 for the wear pad l8, said pad being of U- section as will be understood from a consideration of Figure 2 and being T-shaped in .plan as seen in Figure 1, and said pad comprises a tongue 20 extending inwardly between the top and bottom webs 6 and 8 of the end of the compression member.

A strut 22 is connected between the compression and tension members intermediate the ends thereof, said .sturt comprising at one end thereof a split loop 24receiving therewithin the tension member l2 and said strut comprising at the opposite end thereof the yoke 26 through which may extend the compression member 4, said member being keyed as at 28 in the usual manner. The strut 22 also comprises intermediate the ends thereof the slot 39 formed and arranged for the reception of an associated brake lever (not shown), said lever being pivotally secured as at 32 in usual manner. f

A brake head 34 is secured to each end of the beam 2, said head comprising at each end thereof the spaced toe lugs 36, 36 joined by the bridge 38 and said head also comprising the spaced lugs M3, 40 intermediate the ends thereof. It will be readily understood that the lugs 36, 36 and the lugs 40, 40 afiord securing means for an associated brake shoe (not shown) in usual manner. Each brake head 34 also comprises the recess 42 formed and arranged for the reception of the end of the compression member 4 as well as the associated end I4 of the tension member received between the top and bottom webs B and 8 of the compression member 4 as heretofore described and the tongue portion 20 of the wear pad l8 received between the top and bottom webs 6 and 8 of the associated end of the compression member as heretofore described, and said head may be secured as by riveting at 44, 44 to said top and bottom webs, to the associated end 14 of the tension member, and to the tongue 20 of the associated pad 18.

It is to be understood that-I'do not wish to be limited by the exact embodiment of the device shown which is merely by way of illustration and not limitation as various and other forms of thedevice will, of course-be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. In a brake beam, a tension member comprising a round bar with flattened endportions, a U- shaped wear pad fitted over each of said portions and adapted for reception Within a guide bracket on an associated vehicle frame, and a compression member of substantially uniform channel section throughout its length and having top and bottom webs and arear web, said top and bottom webs receiving therebetween at each end of'said compression members the associated pad and the associated end portion of the tension member, brake heads secured to opposite ends of the beam, each of said heads comprising a recess receiving therewithin the ends ofthe associated top and bottom webs, the associated end portion of the tension member, and the associated wear pad, and means securing said heads to said beam.

2. In a brake beam, a compression member ofuniform section throughout its length and comprising top and bottom webs and an integral rear web extending therebetween, a tension member comprising a round bar with flattened ends received between said top and-bottom webs at each end of said compression member and extending outwardly therefrom to form guide means for cooperation with means. on an associated vehicle frame, U -shaped wear pads fitted over said ends each comprising a tongue portion received between said topand bottom Webs,brake heads engaged with said beam at opposite ends thereof, and means securing each of, said heads to said compression member, to the associated end of the tension member, and to the associated tongue portion.

3. In a brake beam, a tension member comprising a round bar with flattened end portions, a wear pad associated with each of said endportions, a compression member of uniform channel section having top and bottom webs receiving therebetween at each end of said. compression member the associated pad and the associated end portion, brake heads engaged with said beams at opposite ends thereof, and means securing each of said end portions and the associated wear pad to said compression member, each of said end portions and the associated pad extending outwardly from said compression member and being adapted for reception within a guide bracket on an associated vehicle frame.

4. In a brake beam, a compression member of substantially uniform channel section comprising top and bottom webs and an integral rear web extending therebetween at right angles thereto, a tension member comprising a round bar with flat ends received between said top and bottom webs at each end of said compression member, U-shaped wear pads fitted over said ends, partially receivedbetween said top and bottom webs, and adapted for reception within guide brackets on an associated vehicle frame, brake heads each comprising a recess receiving therewithin the associated ends of said top and bottom webs, and means securing said head thereto.

5. In a brake beam, a compression member of substantially uniform channel section comprising top and bottom webs and an integral rear Web, a tension member comprising a round bar with flattened ends received between said top and bottom webs at each end of said compression member, U-shaped wear pads fitted over said ends, partially received between said top and bottom webs, and adapted for reception within guide brackets on an associated vehicle frame, means securing said compression member to said tension member and to said Wear pads, and brake heads secured to the ends of said beam.

6. In a brake beam, a compression member of substantially uniform section throughout its length and comprising top and bottom webs and an integral rear web extending therebetween, a

tension member comprising flat end portions received between said top and bottom webs at each end of said compression member, a wear pad associated with each end portion, partially received between said top and bottom webs, and adapted for reception within a guide bracket on an associated truck vehicle frame, means securing each end portion to the associated pad and to the associated end of the compression member, and brake heads secured to opposite ends of said beam.

7. In a brake beam, a tension member with flattened end portions, a U-shaped wear pad fitted over each of said portions, a compression member of substantially uniform channel section having top and bottom webs receiving therebetween at each end of said compression member one of said pads and the associated end portion, and brake heads secured to opposite ends of said beam, each of said end portions and the associated wear pad extending outwardly from said compression member and being adapted for reception within a guide bracket on an associated vehicle frame.

8. In a brake beam, a tension member, a compression member of uniform channel section secured thereto at the ends thereof, a strut connecting said members intermediate the ends thereof, said tension .member extending outwardly at each end thereof from said compression member, a Wear pad secured to each outer end of said tension member and adapted for reception within a guide bracket on an associated vehicle frame, and brake headssecured to said beam at opposite ends thereof, said \pad projecting Within said channel section for securement to said members.

9. In a brake beam, a tension member comprising a bar with fiat end portions, a wear pad associated with each of said end portions, a compression member of uniform channel section having top and bottom webs receiving therebetween at each end of said compression member the associated pad and the associated end portion, brake heads engaged with said beams at opposite ends thereof, and means securing each of said end portions andthe associated wear pad to said compression member.

10. In a brake beam, a tension member comprising a bar with flattened ends, a U-shaped wear pad fitted over each of said ends, a compression member of uniform channel section throughout its length and com-prising top and bottom webs receiving therebetween at each end thereof one of said pads and the associated end of the tension member, a. strut connected between said members intermediate the ends thereof, and brake heads secured to opposite ends of said beam.

11. Ina brake beam, a tension member comprising a bar with fiat end portions, a U-shaped wear pad fitted over each of said portions, and a compression member of substantially uniform channel section throughout its length and having top and bottom webs and a rear web, said top and bottom webs receiving therebetween at each end thereof one of said pads and the associated end portion, and brake heads secured to opposite ends of the beam.

12. In a truss type brake beam, a tension member with fiat end portions, a wear pad associated with each of said portions and adapted for re- ;ceptionwithin guide means on an associated vehicle frame, and a compression member of substantially uniform section throughout its length end portion, and brake heads secured to opposite 1 ends of said beam.

14. In a brake beam, a compression member of substantially uniform channel section throughout its length, a tension member comprising end portions secured within said channel section, and a wear pad secured to each end portion externally thereof and internally of said compression member, said wear pad being formed and arranged for association within guide means on an associated supporting member.

TORSTEN H. PARKE. 

